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The Ezekiel 38 war!!!
Israel has just gone through a horrible and furious war between its neighbors, the war described in Psalm 83 and elsewhere is now over. Israel’s borders have expanded dramatically, forever changing the landscape of power in the region. Fulfilling the promise of Jeremiah 49:2, Israel will then look something like this:
Jeremiah 49:2 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,” says the LORD.
Egypt will have witnessed this onslaught that Israel unleashes and will tremble in fear.
Isaiah 19:16-17 In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them. And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the LORD Almighty is planning against them.
Syria will have suffered a horrendous defeat, having their capital of Damascus completely destroyed in a nuclear attack in one evening!
Jeremiah 49:23-26 Against Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are shamed, for they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; there is trouble on the sea; it cannot be quiet. Damascus has grown feeble; she turns to flee, and fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. Why is the city of praise [Jerusalem] not deserted, the city of My joy? Therefore her young men shall fall in her [Damascus] streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,” says the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah 17:1,9,14 1 An oracle concerning Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. 9 In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation. 14 In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us.
The nations of the world will see this nuclear attack and they will panic. They will cause such a stir with their moaning and complaining against Israel, their roar will sound like the rushing waves of the sea. They will try to stop Israel but God turns them away.
Isaiah 17:12, 13 Woe to the multitude of many people, [which] make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, [that] make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Jordan, because of their traitorous actions, will now be under Israeli control. This fact becomes crucially important later on during the Tribulation because the surviving remnant of Israel will be forced to flee into Jordan’s hills, escaping the Antichrist.
Obadiah 1:19 19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau [Southern Jordan], and the Lowland shall possess Philistia [Gaza Strip]. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria [West Bank]. Benjamin shall possess Gilead [West Bank & Golan Heights].
And Egypt will have gone at least partially under Israeli control as well.
Isaiah 19:18-19 18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. 19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.
This war will have laid waste to every minor nation in the area that has called for the destruction of Israel. And possibly because of an earlier surgical military strike against Iran, Israel will be temporarily at peace. This now transitions into the period described in Ezekiel 38 where Israel is at peace and is soon attacked by Iran, Russia, Libya and Turkey. Israel will be overflowing with wealth from the spoils of war. They will be in possession of vast oil fields from the Northwest portions of Saudi Arabia. They will have treasures from Egypt and vast fortunes from Syria and Jordan’s Kingdom. This will pose as quite the temptation for Russia as Iran plots their revenge.
Ezekiel 38:11-14 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places [that are now] inhabited, and upon the people [that are] gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know [it]?
Israel will be fat and at peace, proudly relishing the spoils of war as they celebrate their victory over such foes. Can you fathom the fury in the remaining Muslims when Israel, land of the Jews, has control of much of Saudi Arabia, home of Mecca, their most holy city?
Ezekiel 38: 15, 16 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
Here is described the purpose of bringing these nations to Israel, so that the heathen might know the Lord. This is a prophecy that has been proclaimed, studied, read and deciphered for thousands of years and finally it takes place. This gives such a testimony on the validity of the word of God, where millions will come to know him over such truths.
Ezekiel 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, [that] my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy [and] in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that [are] upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that [are] with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.
This time it is not Israel that fights back and wins the victory, it is the Lord himself! Confusion sweeps through the ranks as they enter Israel’s territory. Russia, along with Iran, Libya and Turkey will invade with a massive army, described as a cloud covering the land. A great earthquake will strike the land as God’s fury is unleashed. Floods, great hailstones, fire from heaven will obliterate the attacking armies, giving no other answer as to how this happened other than by God’s own hand!
Israel will see God giving them this victory and this will cause such a stir in their hearts that they will tear down the dome of the rock and set out to rebuild their Temple. This is not the response God was looking for. In fact, this is the last straw for the Lord. So much so that he now allows the Antichrist to be made known as the Great Tribulation is ushered upon us.
Answering those who dismiss Jeremiah 49 regarding the future of #ISRAEL
Is the beginning of the end of the world upon us? Well, that depends upon who you ask.
In case you haven’t noticed, End Times theology has become a hot topic in media this summer. From discussions surrounding Syria and its alleged role in Biblical prophesy to grander curiosities about Jesus Christ’s supposed Second Coming, the debate over these themes has been a spirited one, as TheBlaze recently noted. And as supporters continuously speak out, critics of End Times theology are vocal of late, highlighting their contention that applying Old Testament Bible verses to future unforeseen events and happenings is haphazard (we highlighted some of the main arguments against this prophetic inclination in past coverage of the issue).
Considering these critiques, TheBlaze once again interviewed author and Bible expert Joel Rosenberg to see what he has to say in response to those who disagree with his interpretation of scripture. Rosenberg, who believes that Isaiah 17:1-3, among other verses, highlight what’s to come, attempted to poke holes in counterarguments, charging that those who dismiss the view that the Bible holds many keys to the End Times fail to see the full picture.
As a refresher, Isaiah 17:1-3 reads, “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Considering the current international conflict, this is obviously capturing attention. Some critics dismiss the application of these verses to future prophecy and note that Damascus has been attacked numerous times throughout its history. Thus, they believe prophecy has already been fulfilled. Some hold that there’s no remaining foresight at any level and simply believe that what is described already unfolded in 732 B.C.
1. Damascus Has Been Attacked Before, But… TheBlaze asked Rosenberg to respond to this latter claim and he noted, first and foremost, that Damascus certainly has been attacked in the past – but the Bible expert added an important caveat: Damascus has never ceased to be a city, something that Rosenberg believes is clearly prophesied in Isaiah 17.
“There’s no question that Damascus has been attacked and conquered numerous times through history. Nobody is debating that,” said the author. “The question is whether the actual text has come to fulfillment.”
Rosenberg pointed out a unique fact about Damascus, the capital of Syria: It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on the earth. It is first mentioned in Genesis and yet it still appears in modern-day headlines.
While he agrees that the 732 B.C. attack undeniably unfolded (Isaiah 7 and 8 predict this event, Rosenberg believes), he also holds that the prophesy in Isaiah 17:1-3 hasn’t yet been fulfilled, because Damascus continued to be a city following the attack by the Assyrians — and it remains an active and inhabited locality even today.
2. Rosenberg Says Isaiah Didn’t Receive the Prophecy Until After 732 B.C. Rosenberg’s second argument is that Isaiah, in the expert’s estimation, didn’t receive the contents of Isaiah 17 until after 732 B.C. If this is true, it would mean that the Assyrian attack on Damascus was not what was being referenced in the text.
“It’s true that Isaiah prophesied about the conquering of Damascus — that happens in chapter 7 and 8 — and that is exactly what came to fulfillment in 732 B.C., but in chapter 14, in verse 28, Isaiah says something that’s fascinating and relevant,” argued the author.
Isaiah 14:28 reads, “This prophecy came in the year King Ahaz died.” Rosenberg believes this line is key to the debate. Since King Ahaz (king of Judah) died around 710 B.C., Rosenberg (who said the year of death was closer to 715 B.C.) runs through some logic that would, at the least, force his critics to respond with their own timeline of events. Perhaps only the text in Isaiah 14 and not 17 came in 710, but regardless the language does create some questions.
“This means that the prophesies of Isaiah 17 were not given to the prophet until 715 B.C., which is nearly two decades after the conquering of Damascus [in 732], so this helps us have assurance that Isaiah 17 wasn’t fulfilled in 732,” he continued.
Rosenberg said that it’s easy to overlook the verse referencing the king – one that seemingly provides context to Isaiah 17. The 732 B.C. prophesy, Rosenberg argues, gives Isaiah credibility, however what he promises in chapter 17 has yet to, in the Bible expert’s view, come to fruition.
“When he gives us end times prophesies, we can be assured that those will happen one day because the other things he had said had already come true,” Rosenberg told TheBlaze.
3. Isaiah 17 Isn’t the Only Alleged Prophecy to Come The “Damascus Countdown” author also notes that it’s not only Isaiah 17 that makes apparent End Times references. You have to look at Jeremiah, too.
While the Syria conflict has shed light on the first three verses of that chapter, Rosenberg made it clear that Isaiah 11 through 24 is filled with “big picture” prophesies that he believes are set to take place in the future. These even include timestamps, Rosenberg claims.
“It’s really sad what the Bible says will happen to Damascus one day and I’m not saying that I know when it will happen,” he added. “I don’t know when these prophesies will come to pass. Will they happen in our lifetime? Well, they could.”
Regardless of where people stand on the issue, Rosenberg said that it’s important for individuals to be aware of what is said in the scriptures. The impact of the End Times — and the theories surrounding the controversial theology — are worth understanding, he told TheBlaze. Rosenberg also recommends that people who are interested in the subject read a parallel passage in Jeremiah 49:23-27 – a prophetic word that he believes couldn’t have possibly happened in 732 B.C., as Jeremiah wasn’t born yet (he died in 570 B.C.).
“It backs up Isaiah 17 and gives us more details and it comes in a section about End Times prophecies,” he said. “It refers to the judgment of Iran, which was known at that time as Elam.”
Rosenberg noted that these verses, again, describe Damascus. Here are those scripture references:
End Times Bible Expert Joel Rosenberg Delivers 3 Key Reasons Why Those Dismissing Syria Related Prophecies May Be Dead Wrong
Again, he cautioned that we may not yet be seeing this come to pass, despite the fact that Syria is currently in the headlines. But Rosenberg did describe some of the modern-day happenings that cause some pause. In the current crisis, millions have fled Syria and the United Nations recently estimated that five million people are internally displaced. In sum, seven million Syrians have attempted to escape to either internal or external locations. “I want to be the most conservative guy on this … I’m not claiming that this prophesy is going to come true in our lives,” he said. “[But] it’s worth at least being aware of these prophecies.”
What is Aroer? Isaiah 17:1-3 also claims that “the cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks.” Considering that this often gets little attention (after all, if Damascus’ destruction has apparently yet to come, what about “Aroer?”) TheBlaze asked for Rosenberg’s understanding of the word.
“The word Aroer in Hebrew means ruins. It comes from a root word, which can be interpreted — it either means destitute, stripped naked or it can also be translated in other places as a bush or a tree,” explained Rosenberg, noting that there are questions about whether it’s a proper name or a descriptor. He added that the Bible does name at least a few small towns by this name that are located far away from Damascus.
If Aroer is a separate location, critics could argue – pending there’s evidence of an attack – then the verses have already come to fruition or are baseless, as Aroer is no longer a standing locality. But Rosenberg tends to lean against the idea that the word is referencing a specific place, siding with those who believe it really just means “ruins.” “I personally lean against the idea that it’s referencing these specific three small largely unknown places…not a lot happened there of Biblical import,” he said.
There’s No Definitive Timeline Rosenberg encouraged cautiousness when attributing current events to scriptures written long ago and he noted that there is no solid timeline through which people can presume when the End Times might unfold. “Neither Isaiah 17 nor Jeremiah 49 give us any detail about precisely when these prophecies will come to pass,” Rosenberg said. “We know that they would happen prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, because there aren’t judgments that are happening during the Millennial Kingdom” (Christ’s reign before the final judgment). These events, he insists, will happen sometime between today and Jesus’ return.
Israel has just gone through a horrible and furious war between its neighbors, the war described in Psalm 83 and elsewhere is now over. Israel’s borders have expanded dramatically, forever changing the landscape of power in the region. Fulfilling the promise of Jeremiah 49:2, Israel will then look something like this:
Jeremiah 49:2 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,” says the LORD.
Egypt will have witnessed this onslaught that Israel unleashes and will tremble in fear.
Isaiah 19:16-17 In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them. And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the LORD Almighty is planning against them.
Syria will have suffered a horrendous defeat, having their capital of Damascus completely destroyed in a nuclear attack in one evening!
Jeremiah 49:23-26 Against Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are shamed, for they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; there is trouble on the sea; it cannot be quiet. Damascus has grown feeble; she turns to flee, and fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. Why is the city of praise [Jerusalem] not deserted, the city of My joy? Therefore her young men shall fall in her [Damascus] streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,” says the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah 17:1,9,14 1 An oracle concerning Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. 9 In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation. 14 In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us.
The nations of the world will see this nuclear attack and they will panic. They will cause such a stir with their moaning and complaining against Israel, their roar will sound like the rushing waves of the sea. They will try to stop Israel but God turns them away.
Isaiah 17:12, 13 Woe to the multitude of many people, [which] make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, [that] make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Jordan, because of their traitorous actions, will now be under Israeli control. This fact becomes crucially important later on during the Tribulation because the surviving remnant of Israel will be forced to flee into Jordan’s hills, escaping the Antichrist.
Obadiah 1:19 19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau [Southern Jordan], and the Lowland shall possess Philistia [Gaza Strip]. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria [West Bank]. Benjamin shall possess Gilead [West Bank & Golan Heights].
And Egypt will have gone at least partially under Israeli control as well.
Isaiah 19:18-19 18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. 19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.
This war will have laid waste to every minor nation in the area that has called for the destruction of Israel. And possibly because of an earlier surgical military strike against Iran, Israel will be temporarily at peace. This now transitions into the period described in Ezekiel 38 where Israel is at peace and is soon attacked by Iran, Russia, Libya and Turkey. Israel will be overflowing with wealth from the spoils of war. They will be in possession of vast oil fields from the Northwest portions of Saudi Arabia. They will have treasures from Egypt and vast fortunes from Syria and Jordan’s Kingdom. This will pose as quite the temptation for Russia as Iran plots their revenge.
Ezekiel 38:11-14 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places [that are now] inhabited, and upon the people [that are] gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know [it]?
Israel will be fat and at peace, proudly relishing the spoils of war as they celebrate their victory over such foes. Can you fathom the fury in the remaining Muslims when Israel, land of the Jews, has control of much of Saudi Arabia, home of Mecca, their most holy city?
Ezekiel 38: 15, 16 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
Here is described the purpose of bringing these nations to Israel, so that the heathen might know the Lord. This is a prophecy that has been proclaimed, studied, read and deciphered for thousands of years and finally it takes place. This gives such a testimony on the validity of the word of God, where millions will come to know him over such truths.
Ezekiel 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, [that] my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy [and] in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that [are] upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that [are] with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.
This time it is not Israel that fights back and wins the victory, it is the Lord himself! Confusion sweeps through the ranks as they enter Israel’s territory. Russia, along with Iran, Libya and Turkey will invade with a massive army, described as a cloud covering the land. A great earthquake will strike the land as God’s fury is unleashed. Floods, great hailstones, fire from heaven will obliterate the attacking armies, giving no other answer as to how this happened other than by God’s own hand!
Israel will see God giving them this victory and this will cause such a stir in their hearts that they will tear down the dome of the rock and set out to rebuild their Temple. This is not the response God was looking for. In fact, this is the last straw for the Lord. So much so that he now allows the Antichrist to be made known as the Great Tribulation is ushered upon us.
Answering those who dismiss Jeremiah 49 regarding the future of #ISRAEL
Is the beginning of the end of the world upon us? Well, that depends upon who you ask.
In case you haven’t noticed, End Times theology has become a hot topic in media this summer. From discussions surrounding Syria and its alleged role in Biblical prophesy to grander curiosities about Jesus Christ’s supposed Second Coming, the debate over these themes has been a spirited one, as TheBlaze recently noted. And as supporters continuously speak out, critics of End Times theology are vocal of late, highlighting their contention that applying Old Testament Bible verses to future unforeseen events and happenings is haphazard (we highlighted some of the main arguments against this prophetic inclination in past coverage of the issue).
Considering these critiques, TheBlaze once again interviewed author and Bible expert Joel Rosenberg to see what he has to say in response to those who disagree with his interpretation of scripture. Rosenberg, who believes that Isaiah 17:1-3, among other verses, highlight what’s to come, attempted to poke holes in counterarguments, charging that those who dismiss the view that the Bible holds many keys to the End Times fail to see the full picture.
As a refresher, Isaiah 17:1-3 reads, “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Considering the current international conflict, this is obviously capturing attention. Some critics dismiss the application of these verses to future prophecy and note that Damascus has been attacked numerous times throughout its history. Thus, they believe prophecy has already been fulfilled. Some hold that there’s no remaining foresight at any level and simply believe that what is described already unfolded in 732 B.C.
1. Damascus Has Been Attacked Before, But… TheBlaze asked Rosenberg to respond to this latter claim and he noted, first and foremost, that Damascus certainly has been attacked in the past – but the Bible expert added an important caveat: Damascus has never ceased to be a city, something that Rosenberg believes is clearly prophesied in Isaiah 17.
“There’s no question that Damascus has been attacked and conquered numerous times through history. Nobody is debating that,” said the author. “The question is whether the actual text has come to fulfillment.”
Rosenberg pointed out a unique fact about Damascus, the capital of Syria: It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on the earth. It is first mentioned in Genesis and yet it still appears in modern-day headlines.
While he agrees that the 732 B.C. attack undeniably unfolded (Isaiah 7 and 8 predict this event, Rosenberg believes), he also holds that the prophesy in Isaiah 17:1-3 hasn’t yet been fulfilled, because Damascus continued to be a city following the attack by the Assyrians — and it remains an active and inhabited locality even today.
2. Rosenberg Says Isaiah Didn’t Receive the Prophecy Until After 732 B.C. Rosenberg’s second argument is that Isaiah, in the expert’s estimation, didn’t receive the contents of Isaiah 17 until after 732 B.C. If this is true, it would mean that the Assyrian attack on Damascus was not what was being referenced in the text.
“It’s true that Isaiah prophesied about the conquering of Damascus — that happens in chapter 7 and 8 — and that is exactly what came to fulfillment in 732 B.C., but in chapter 14, in verse 28, Isaiah says something that’s fascinating and relevant,” argued the author.
Isaiah 14:28 reads, “This prophecy came in the year King Ahaz died.” Rosenberg believes this line is key to the debate. Since King Ahaz (king of Judah) died around 710 B.C., Rosenberg (who said the year of death was closer to 715 B.C.) runs through some logic that would, at the least, force his critics to respond with their own timeline of events. Perhaps only the text in Isaiah 14 and not 17 came in 710, but regardless the language does create some questions.
“This means that the prophesies of Isaiah 17 were not given to the prophet until 715 B.C., which is nearly two decades after the conquering of Damascus [in 732], so this helps us have assurance that Isaiah 17 wasn’t fulfilled in 732,” he continued.
Rosenberg said that it’s easy to overlook the verse referencing the king – one that seemingly provides context to Isaiah 17. The 732 B.C. prophesy, Rosenberg argues, gives Isaiah credibility, however what he promises in chapter 17 has yet to, in the Bible expert’s view, come to fruition.
“When he gives us end times prophesies, we can be assured that those will happen one day because the other things he had said had already come true,” Rosenberg told TheBlaze.
3. Isaiah 17 Isn’t the Only Alleged Prophecy to Come The “Damascus Countdown” author also notes that it’s not only Isaiah 17 that makes apparent End Times references. You have to look at Jeremiah, too.
While the Syria conflict has shed light on the first three verses of that chapter, Rosenberg made it clear that Isaiah 11 through 24 is filled with “big picture” prophesies that he believes are set to take place in the future. These even include timestamps, Rosenberg claims.
“It’s really sad what the Bible says will happen to Damascus one day and I’m not saying that I know when it will happen,” he added. “I don’t know when these prophesies will come to pass. Will they happen in our lifetime? Well, they could.”
Regardless of where people stand on the issue, Rosenberg said that it’s important for individuals to be aware of what is said in the scriptures. The impact of the End Times — and the theories surrounding the controversial theology — are worth understanding, he told TheBlaze. Rosenberg also recommends that people who are interested in the subject read a parallel passage in Jeremiah 49:23-27 – a prophetic word that he believes couldn’t have possibly happened in 732 B.C., as Jeremiah wasn’t born yet (he died in 570 B.C.).
“It backs up Isaiah 17 and gives us more details and it comes in a section about End Times prophecies,” he said. “It refers to the judgment of Iran, which was known at that time as Elam.”
Rosenberg noted that these verses, again, describe Damascus. Here are those scripture references:
End Times Bible Expert Joel Rosenberg Delivers 3 Key Reasons Why Those Dismissing Syria Related Prophecies May Be Dead Wrong
Again, he cautioned that we may not yet be seeing this come to pass, despite the fact that Syria is currently in the headlines. But Rosenberg did describe some of the modern-day happenings that cause some pause. In the current crisis, millions have fled Syria and the United Nations recently estimated that five million people are internally displaced. In sum, seven million Syrians have attempted to escape to either internal or external locations. “I want to be the most conservative guy on this … I’m not claiming that this prophesy is going to come true in our lives,” he said. “[But] it’s worth at least being aware of these prophecies.”
What is Aroer? Isaiah 17:1-3 also claims that “the cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks.” Considering that this often gets little attention (after all, if Damascus’ destruction has apparently yet to come, what about “Aroer?”) TheBlaze asked for Rosenberg’s understanding of the word.
“The word Aroer in Hebrew means ruins. It comes from a root word, which can be interpreted — it either means destitute, stripped naked or it can also be translated in other places as a bush or a tree,” explained Rosenberg, noting that there are questions about whether it’s a proper name or a descriptor. He added that the Bible does name at least a few small towns by this name that are located far away from Damascus.
If Aroer is a separate location, critics could argue – pending there’s evidence of an attack – then the verses have already come to fruition or are baseless, as Aroer is no longer a standing locality. But Rosenberg tends to lean against the idea that the word is referencing a specific place, siding with those who believe it really just means “ruins.” “I personally lean against the idea that it’s referencing these specific three small largely unknown places…not a lot happened there of Biblical import,” he said.
There’s No Definitive Timeline
Rosenberg encouraged cautiousness when attributing current events to scriptures written long ago and he noted that there is no solid timeline through which people can presume when the End Times might unfold. “Neither Isaiah 17 nor Jeremiah 49 give us any detail about precisely when these prophecies will come to pass,” Rosenberg said. “We know that they would happen prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, because there aren’t judgments that are happening during the Millennial Kingdom” (Christ’s reign before the final judgment). These events, he insists, will happen sometime between today and Jesus’ return.” />
Alan N Carla Smith [11/11/2015 8:51 AM]
John Kissinger also to note that every Jubilee year there has been some type of military assault on Israel and those against Israel end of pleading for peace and Israel’s borders have expanded.
Terry Wiles [11/11/2015 9:22 AM]
Very interesting commentary. We are in Israel at the present moment and have traveled to the boarder of Syria about 35 miles from Damascus where we see this exact end time scenario unfolding. Perhaps not today but could it be soon and very soon? Come quickly Lord Jesus.
John Kissinger [11/11/2015 9:23 AM]
Terry Wiles Do tell us more. We know the borders are being re-shaped without UN approval, but how do you see Russia’s role on the ground? Israel’s Ezekiel 38 war is connected with Gog & Magog
Terry Wiles [11/11/2015 9:33 AM]
According to Israel’s military people Russia is lined with the countries you mention and include China. They are actively bombing Syrian opposition that President Obama is supporting. The stage is being set. The nations are being alined. Israel and Russia have had some close air incidents. The word here is to look for Russia to squash ISIS because of the plane bombing.
Terry Wiles [11/11/2015 9:35 AM]
The UN is a pawn. Israel is being restrained by heavy pressure fro Obama and Russia.
John Kissinger [11/11/2015 9:43 AM]
from what we’ve seen/heard from Netanyahu Obama has little say in Israel’s exterior politics. And the only way Russia has any say is true the large Russian lobby in Israel, but I strongly doubt Russian Jews are pro-Russian influence in the region
Terry Wiles [11/11/2015 9:50 AM]
This was taken from the mount of Olives with a long lens and is unretouched. Maybe it means nothing. Maybe something.
Alan N Carla Smith [11/11/2015 6:52 PM]
I believe the possibility of Damascus being destroyed and THEN the man that received a head wound will have the spirit of the antichrist come upon him. The destruction of Damascus will cause people to look for a leader and…there ya have it!
John Kissinger [11/13/2015 9:12 AM]
with this weeks new Russian strike in Syria this prophecy does not look too out of scope
John Kissinger [11/15/2015 6:16 PM]
just 2 days later: Possible new strategy for ISIS and Syria. Putin and Obama working out new cooperative strategy.
Russians will control Syria. A ceasefire between Assad and rebel groups. US will back Sunni tribes in Iraq. All will work together to destroy ISIS. After that then a possible transition for Assad to get out and then have elections within 18 mos.
We will not send US soldiers, but support those local forces to fight ISIS from both Syria and Iraq.
~ Gen. Nash via Jon Sellers http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/15/french-jets-target-isis-in-raqqa/
John Kissinger [11/16/2015 5:35 PM]
so forgive my sublime ignorance here, but this is by far the most adequate biblical overview of the real situation with ISIS: “The Islamic State awaits the army of “Rome,” whose defeat at Dabiq, Syria, will initiate the countdown to the apocalypse.” http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
John Kissinger [11/16/2015 6:27 PM]
http://dailysignal.com/2015/11/16/isis-just-named-d-c-as-possible-target-for-terrorist-attacks-has-the-risk-increased/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thffacebook
John Kissinger [11/16/2015 6:55 PM]
https://www.facebook.com/ezraklein/videos/10153796767828410/
John Kissinger [11/27/2015 12:43 PM]
and there you have it just as prophecies – the purpose of it all http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/russia-grand-mufti-calls-vladimir-putin-annex-israel-mecca-it-will-allah-1530436
Megan Shaffer [11/29/2015 3:39 PM]
I’m studying psalms83 now 🙂
John Kissinger [11/29/2015 8:35 PM]
http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-turkey-jet-visa-travel-agreement-2015-11
Varnel Watson
Dan Irving Your take on the Ezek 28 prophecy? Ricky Grimsley Damascus Has Been Attacked Before, But… TheBlaze asked Rosenberg to respond to this latter claim and he noted, first and foremost, that Damascus certainly has been attacked in the past – but the Bible expert added an important caveat: Damascus has never ceased to be a city, something that Rosenberg believes is clearly prophesied in Isaiah 17
Dan Irving
This is a prophecy against the “Prince of Tyre” as an apparent pseudonym for Satan, the “anointed cherub,” from whom God will bring fire for his self-consuming, exposing Satan before the world as “ashes upon the earth.” (v.18) I believe it clearly relates to the work of Christ in bringing fire upon the works of the Devil when the judgment of God was cast into the earth by Christ submitting to baptism as a symbol for enduring the death of the transgressor. God subjected His own Person to the force and effect of His word in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, and heaping the sins of humanity upon His own holy nature, judged the works of the Devil in their totality.
Dan Irving
Troy Day I see you meant Ezekiel 38. I have always viewed this chapter as alluding to the activities of the future “lawless one” alluded to by Paul and by Jesus, our Lord. I base this upon the 17th verse, which states, “Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through my servants the prophets of Israel who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them?” Therefore, the prophecy of Ezekiel, itself, is saying, “This is that big event, the Church was warned against.” ie. the Son of Perdition.
Varnel Watson
My bad Attacks on Israel in Ezekiel 38-39 and then of course The Syrian war that created ISIS as explained in Ezekiel 48 http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/the-syrian-war-that-created-isis-explained-in-ezekiel-48-%e2%80%aa%e2%80%8eourcog%e2%80%ac/
Dan Irving
I reject that prophecy primarily deals with Israel after the flesh. However, I do acknowledge there may be a relevance to Israel (after-the-flesh) in terms of being a sign upon which men will stumble. Therefore, while I reject Christian Zionism, I nonetheless do find significance to events such as the 1948 re-establishment and the Yom Kippur war; just not as most evangelicals would find significance.
Varnel Watson
David Lewayne Porter The topic of Israel’s borders started here with Dan Irving Bro Jim somewhat piggy backed off it but still a valuable addition. The lead questions was if Russia’s role in the Syrian conflict aids or hinders Israel’s recovery of its land in the original covenant perimeters. Ricky Grimsley has prior suggested Turkey to be the leading power in this conflict and the main proponent of its development
David Lewayne Porter
I doubt Israel (the Jews) ever gets back all of her land, the land due to her through Abraham and Israel because of:
1) Her sin as seen by the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities as well as the book of Judges
And
2) Her failure to do what God instructed Her to do
a) her failure to ask God’s advice before making covenants as in Joshua chapter 9
b) her allowing her enemies to remain in the land and serve under tribute instead of running them out or destroying them
Joshua 17:12-13
Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
Although she has had spots of hope during history like The Six Day War of 1967, for the most part Israel herself has been her own worse enemy throughout her history.
She will remain that way until she can accept Jesus as the Lamb, Saviour, Christ, Lord, and Messiah.
Up to that point she is destined to struggle and fight with her neighbors with only short spots of “peace”.
That is why we are not told to pray for the peace of Israel….
We are told to pray for the peace of JERUSALEM. (Although we do pray for Israel and as much peace as God will allow).
Varnel Watson
The Bible is crystal clear: the Lord Almighty will judge all nations who divide the Land of Israel.
In Joel 3:2, the Lord says: “I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land.” (3:2)
Ezekiel 37:24 – “They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever”
David Lewayne Porter
And there you have it,
The land of Israel.
But
Was all the land promised to Abraham while he was Abram to be given Only to Israel?
The biblical answer to a true rightly dividing Bible student is no.
Yet again, the land promised to all of Abram’s seed is a lot larger than the land mass that Abraham was told would go to israel, the son of promise, the son of the covenant.
You need to go look at the original promise to Abram from God, and then the promise given from God to Jacob/Israel as restated to the Jews under Joshua as they conquered the land of the seven nations expelled before them and which the Jews settled by lots at God’s direction.
You have not even addressed Esau or Lot and their land which was protected by God Himself; why?
Broaden your view and understanding my brother.
Dan Irving
When you talk about Abraham’s seed, you’re forgetting something critical. These things must be interpreted in light of the GOSPEL. You are not doing that. Whom does the GOSPEL identify, as Abraham’s seed? Until you realize this, you will wander about in these speculations.
David Lewayne Porter
Dan
You must look at the land as an inheritance of the fleshly and physical jews or else We – You and I could show up in Israel as Abraham’s Spiritual Seed and demand our share.
Here is what God said about Israel’s land inheritance and lands promised to Abraham’s seed and family besides Israel;
1) for Israel – which they settled by lots, ,,,,
Deuteronomy 7:1-2
When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
2) for Esau – Abraham’s grandson, not Israel, ,,,
Deuteronomy 2:2-5
And the Lord spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.
3) for Lot – saved from destruction because of Abraham,,,
Deuteronomy 2:9
And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
(It is repeated in verses 19 in order to make sure they got it).
Not all of the land promised in the beginning to Abram was for the son of promise, the son of The Covenant as reaffirmed through Abraham’s promised son Isaac passing down through Israel.
The original land promise from God to Abram is in Genesis 12.
Notice that Abraham gave the choice of land to Lot in chapter 13 to keep down strife, **ALL the plain of Jordan**. A choice honored with land that God craved out in Deut 2:9&19 referenced above.
God promised Abram land from the great river in Egypt to the great river Euphrates. (Gen 15:18).
Notice that the land given to Lot’s descendants and Esau’s are within that area, yet not within the land specified during the settlement of the Jews/Israelites under Joshua.
Dan Irving
Israel is a spiritual principle, as is Edom a spiritual principle. Question: What is the meaning of the prophecy, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?” (Is. 63:1) And what is the meaning of Habakkuk’s prophecy, “God came from Teman (a city of Edom,) and the Holy One from Mt Paran.?” (Hab. 3:3) They do not refer to a locality. They refer to a spiritual principle.
David Lewayne Porter
Not always Dan.
you error as many do by trying to always reference an item in the same exact way.
Since you want to dismiss the actual physical seed/offspring of Abraham let’s look at the sign of that relationship,
Circumcision;
Was it always spiritual?
Romans 2:28-29
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
It can be, but not always.
No, it is not always spiritual;
Look at the time of Jesus;
It was still physical as well;
Jesus said in
John 7:22-23
Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
And
John the Baptist
Luke 1:59
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
But there was a physical circumcision after Jesus’ day.
(Even though Paul would not circumcise Titus in Gal 2:3)
Look at him circumcising Timothy in Acts 16.
I think it is more than interesting that you question the actual and physical settlement of Abraham’s physical seed into their land and here is what had to happen before they could begin the inheriting;
Joshua 5, circumcising again the children of Israel who were entering and inheriting the land given to Israel (physically).
Dan Irving
I’m not saying physical circumcision or a literal Sabbath does not exist. What I am saying, is these are shadows and types. (Col. 2:17) The substance is Christ. But you are mistaking the shadow for the substance. Until one understands this, one will tend to immerse oneself in futile speculation.
David Lewayne Porter
Agreed.
That is basically what I was working toward.
David Lewayne Porter
Gen 15:18
(See note I left under Dan Irving`s reply).
Varnel Watson
David Lewayne Porter The first or the 2nd one? Pls clerify. I would like to follow up. This is a good and timely discussions for a change
David Lewayne Porter
Both as a continuous train of thought.
Varnel Watson
Well in that case I have questions on the 1st one that does not connect for me
David Lewayne Porter
As in?
Varnel Watson
Well David Lewayne Porter as in the covenant with Abraham http://chosenpeople.com/main/index.php/israel-articles/545-taking-it-literally-the-biblical-boundaries-of-israel
David Lewayne Porter
To Abram? yes.
To all of his seed.
To Abraham? Yes, to all of his seed/descendents.
To Israel and the Jews only?
No.
There are some areas of land in this region for only Lot’s offspring.
There are some areas of land in this region for only Esau’s descendants.
And
There are land areas within this region for only Isaac and the Jews.
The scripture references are contained within the previous posts.
Varnel Watson
The covenant with Abraham was that the promised land would go not to Abraham but to his seed – to thy seed I shall give …
it was also conditional – not to all seed, but under certain regarded conditions and obedience was God to deliver His promise – meaning not to Lot, Hagar, Ishmael, etc. but only to the SEED of obedience through FAITH. The fulfillment of God’s promises depended on obedience. Abraham was required to leave 1) his country, 2) his kindred, and 3) his father’s house, and 4) move “into a land that I will shew thee.” (Gen. 12:1) He must 5) move throughout the land, Gen. 13:17. He became father of the faithful because he believed in faith and acted on that faith, as must Christian believers if they are to be blessed. And now the LORD is laying before Abraham further promises, the fulfillment of which require that he 6) “walk before Me, and be thou perfect.” His name is now changed from Abram to “Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.” Then God reaffirmed the land promise. “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God,” God to thy seed.–Gen. 17:1-8
Who should be understood as Abraham’s promised seed?
Abraham’s promised seed and the antitypical Isaac is Christ Jesus Himself, without whom there could be no salvation, no resurrection, and no blessing. Heb. 11:19 indicates that Abraham was so fully involved in obeying God’s instruction to slay Isaac, that when he was stopped, “he received him in a figure” as from the dead. Isaac, in whom Abraham’s seed shall be called, pictured Christ Jesus raised from death by God’s power. God foresaw the continual chain of faith which would reach even unto and motivate Jesus to offer Himself. Upon His sacrifice depended the eventual bringing “upon Abraham that which God had spoken of him.” Peter’s testimony soon after Pentecost affirms that Jesus is Abraham’s promised seed.–Acts 3:25,26In Gal. 3:16,19,24, Paul emphasizes that Abraham’s promised seed is Christ. “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” “Which is Christ” states Paul’s understanding of whom God meant by “And to thy seed.” The Law Covenant was added to the experiences of the children of Israel “until the seed should come to whom it has been promised.” “The law has become a trainer of us to Christ, in order that by faith we might be justified.”
Is anyone else part of “Abraham’s seed” which God said shall “bless all the families of the earth”?
Yes, all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, having been baptized into Christ, having put on Christ, if being Christ’s, are “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26-29) The Apostle also teaches in Rom. 4:16,18 that faithful believers in Jesus are Abraham’s seed. These passages help make plain the obscure promises of Messiah’s seed in Isa. 53:10,12 and 59:20,21. God promised Abraham regarding Sarah that “nations” and “kings of people shall be of her.” (Gen. 17:16) Inasmuch as Isaac is also referred to in the statement, the nations and kings refer to either the 12 tribes or their two kingdoms, and their respective kings. Represented among the “nations” from the spiritual point of view would be the firstfruit believers since Pentecost which I Pet. 2:9 calls “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” They are the “children of promise” mentioned in Gal. 4:27,28.
David Lewayne Porter
Troy Day
I am not debating the “promised land” of the Jews. I am not debating the “promised seed” through Isaac. You must not have read my posts above. That is covered within them already so I will go back through them here.
Let’s start here with the Jews:
Do you remember this,
The PROMISED LAND of the Jews
Deuteronomy 27:1-4
And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
* It was OVER JORDAN.
Abraham was promised more land than just that OVER JORDAN.
Here are some thoughts for you;
1) Where is Seir?
You know Mt Seir?
Was it within this region?
Was it for Israel the Jews?
Deuteronomy 2:1-5
Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the Lord spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. And the Lord spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.
Was Esau a descendant of Abraham? Yes, a grandson I do believe.
It was not a conditional promise to Esau because of the promise to Abraham.
2) Where is Moab?
Is it within this region?
Was it for the Jews?
Deuteronomy 2:9
And the Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
Again not conditional you Lot.
3) it is restated in verse 19 for Ammon
Deuteronomy 2:17-19
That the Lord spake unto me, saying, Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.
Yet again not conditional to Lot.
I find it interesting how only certain scriptures are used in this equation but others are willingly overlooked.
The conditional promise was to the promised Son and offspring under Abraham’s covenant and as seen in Exodus and Deuteronomy with the Jews accepting the Law.
You can’t prove anywhere in scripture where the other land is for the Jews, the land west of the Jordan (other than the 2 and 1/2 tribes in Joshua 1:12)
Notice under Joshua that land for ISRAEL the Jews was not the same as land given to Abram/Abraham for All of his seed.
Joshua 1:1-4
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
**From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
Do you remember Deuteronomy 27 – 28? That was conditional to the Jews as God’s chosen people.
But not to all of Abraham’s seed.
Varnel Watson
With such army I dont think there will be any problem possessing ALL the land of the covenant 🙂
Varnel Watson
Stan Wayne Seems like Trump is going head to head with Russia
Varnel Watson
Henry Volk what happened to the Russians shot in Syria? https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-says-attack-u-military-182702256.html?soc_src=hl-viewer&soc_trk=fb
Randal W Deese
Newspaper theology
Varnel Watson
Lots of Eastern Orthodox in both Russia and Syria
Jon Ruthven
for the definitive study on the nations listed in Ezekiel’s Gog prophecy, see: https://www.hopefaithprayer.com/books/The-Prophecy-that-is-Shaping-History-Ruthven.pdf
Varnel Watson
Overview of Contents: While the prophetic vision recorded in Ezekiel’s chapters 36-39 particularly chapters 38 and 39—is having a considerable and world-wide impact on human affairs, the focus of my efforts draws attention to the important problem of correctly identifying the nations involved in that prophecy.
These nations had a date with prophetic destiny in the late 6th century BCE, when they were foretold to someday demolish international security. As the time of this prophetic fulfillment draws near we need to be able to identify these nations with some certainty. The Prophecy That Is Shaping History is arranged in the following sections.
Introduction. The Impact of Ezekiel’s Prophecy on Contemporary Events outlines the significance and impact of the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel mentioned in Ezekiel’s prophecy. This prophecy underlies the two best-selling books in the English- and Arab- speaking worlds today, and is shaping geo-politics in profound ways generally overlooked both by historians and by the news media. This chapter also outlines the flow of biblical and historical scholarship regarding the identity of the nations within the Gog prophecy.
Chapter 1. The Interpretations of Ezekiel 38-39 examines two key interpretive issues that have bedeviled expositors since the first interpretation of the Gog prophecy. First, the chapter examines a problem in translation of the name of a key player in world events: Do these verses refer only to a prince who is a “rosh” or “chief”? Or is a prince of a nation named Rosh to be understood in 38:2-3 and 39:1?
Second, Chapter 1 evaluates the major interpretive options of the Gog prophecy and demonstrates that a fairly literal interpretation best fits the evidence, viz., that in the future a coalition of identifiable nations from all points of the compass—though principally from the “farthest parts of the north”—will invade a Land of Israel to which the people of Israel have been recently regathered.
Chapter 2. Ezekiel’s Northern Nations: Ancient Near Eastern Texts records the results of a thorough search of topographical texts from six empires of the Ancient Near East. This chapter and the next break new ground in locating plausible candidates for the invading nations of Ezekiel’s vision. The data show that, apart from Magog, all nations on Ezekiel’s list have clear referents in the area—particularly Rosh.
Chapter 3. Ezekiel’s Northern Nations and Russia traces the migrations and destinies of these nations from Ezekiel’s time to the present. The conclusions may be considered controversial by some, but the evidence represents a significant advance in the scholarship on this topic. One important finding is that Ezekiel’s Rosh clearly lent its name to the modern state of Russia.
Chapter 4. What Is, and What Is to Come, based on the foregoing material, highlights a number of key themes in the eerily contemporary Gog prophecy of Ezekiel. This chapter also offers a checklist that allows the reader to see more clearly the application of the key elements of the Gog prophecy…
Randal W Deese
Already fulfilled… Nonsense eschatology
Varnel Watson
Looks like you’ve given it lots of thought
Randal W Deese
Troy Day I hate to admit this… Theology is my hobby. There is not too much that I have not studied. There are not too many subjects that I haven’t looked at offsides on in my last 45 years of Christian ministry. Nothing new under the sun
Larry Ray Talley
I don’t pretend to understand it all, but I accept it and I’m so amazed at how it is shaping up.
Randal W Deese
When the headlines change, the interpretation of the Bible changes. I’ve seen it change four times since the 70s…haha
Ezekiel 38 and 39 has been interpreted in various ways over the centuries. The most popular view is to see the prophecy as a depiction of a future battle that includes an alliance of nations led by modern-day Russia in an attack on Israel. Chuck Missler writes in his book Prophecy 20/20 that “the apparent use of nuclear weapons has made this passage [Ezekiel 38 and 39] appear remarkably timely, and some suspect that it may be on our horizon.”Prophecy writers for nearly 2000 years have made similar claims, of course without the reference to “nuclear weapons.” In the fourth and fifth centuries, Gog was thought to refer to the Goths and Moors. In the seventh century, it was the Huns. By the eighth century, the Islamic empire was making a name for itself, so it was a logical candidate. By the tenth century, the Hungarians briefly replaced Islam.
But by the sixteenth century, the Turks and Saracens seemed to fit the Gog and Magog profile with the Papacy thrown in for added prophetic juice. In the seventeenth century, Spain and Rome were the end-time bad guys. In the nineteenth century, Napoleon was Gog leading the forces of Magog-France. For most of the twentieth century, Communist Russia was the logical pick with its military aspirations, its atheistic founding, and its designation of being “far north” of Israel. In a word, identifying Gog and Magog with a specific nation or group of nations in the past is legion
Randal W Deese
It is impossible for those who take these chapters as futuristic to be consistent in literal interpretation principles… One would be forced to play games with the holy word of God!
Varnel Watson
Randal W Deese I think Dr Jon Ruthven has made a solid case
Randal W Deese
I think it is Newspaper theology… sorry…
Varnel Watson
You should read the book first It helps
Randal W Deese
His PDF reveals his theology.
Randal W Deese
I don’t want to be too simplistic, but God is not dumb. He doesn’t play games, and just like the prophecies about His first coming are straight-up, so would be any other prophecy. If he meant Russia, He would have said Russia. If He meant Syria, He would have meant Syria. Remember, He named the exact name of a King before he was even born.
The main problem with the futuristic view of Ezekiel 38… etc… is simple. One must manipulate the text to make it fit the newspaper. It also assumes that God is dumb and the Holy Spirit couldn’t be accurate with exact terms, phrases, words, etc…
The battle in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is clearly an ancient one or at least one fought with ancient weapons. All the soldiers are riding horses (38:4, 15; 39:20). These horse soldiers are “wielding swords” (38:4), carrying “bows and arrows, war clubs and spears” (39:3, 9). The weapons are made of wood (39:10), and it is these abandoned weapons that serve as fuel for “seven years” (39:9).
The actual meaning IS the intended meaning. Let us stop insulting God by changing all the dynamics of those chapters with our nuances. This, by the way, is the perfect logical error called:
The Anachronistic Fallacy
Varnel Watson
There was no Russia known to men at the time to say Russia. Historical Theology helps…
Randal W Deese
Troy Day God knew what it would be called. He is not dumb. In fact, we know that God can reveal specific future names years before a name is created – King Cyrus is one of many examples.
The futuristic views insults the very nature of God.
Randal W Deese
My God is all-knowing.
Jon Ruthven
Please review the grammatical analysis of Ezekiel’s use of “Rosh” in *The Prophecy That Is Shaping History*. This conclusion was vetted (and approved) by one of the top ten ANE linguistic scholars in the world. No connection between Ezekiel’s Rosh and Russia? PLEASE review the primary source material from six ANE empires before you repeat the conventional “wisdom.” Follow the clear historical evidence, not the crowd. No contemporary commentaries have examined the evidence on this.
Randal W Deese
Jon Ruthven
I don’t know. I think DeMar has better answer.
Randal W Deese
Jon Ruthven
I’ll review a little closer at your request… but most of what I have read should just be trashed, IMO.
Blessings
Jon Ruthven
Well, if you trash it on the basis of transparent historiography, and not 16th century traditional Protestant opinion, then fine.
Randal W Deese
Jon Ruthven I tend to be a facts and evidence man… It isn’t about who says what, but where does the preponderance of evidence lead.
Varnel Watson
Nelson Banuchi Bob Wizenhut No matter what you think of Trump, he just pulled the smartest move any US President has ever pulled. I hate to say it, but truth is truth. I am speaking of the withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan. Or at least, of the threat to do it. I actually have little faith he would do it. He is playing a political game. This is not acting on principle.
He is trying to get his wall funded by Congress. (Not by Mexico, which is a broken promise, but that a different issue.) Congress is rather adamant they won’t fund it – whether Republicans or Democrats. They don’t care if the government is shut down: Congressmen don’t make money off a working government.
Their largest revenues come from lobbying. And since our largest federal expense are the wars, the bulk of that lobbying comes from contractors who profit from the wars. Pulling our troops from those wars will kill the cash cow for those contractors. And therefore will kill the largest source of personal revenues for Congressmen.
Thus, Trump hit where it hurts the most – the personal revenues of the majority of Congressmen. He can do it. Congress can stop the President from going to war, but it can’t tell him where and how to go to war. There is no legislative power that can tell the President to keep the troops in any country. This way he can control how much revenues Congressmen get from lobbying.
I expect Congress to yield, eventually. They will fund the wall, and Trump will keep the troops in those countries. Which means, more judgment on America. https://thelibertarianrepublic.com/dems-introduced-bill-requiring-mexico-to-pay-for-the-wall-and-no-one-seems-to-have-noticed/
Bob Wizenhut
Remember, candidate Trump promised to get us out of Syria and this President is more true to his campaign promises than any previous President in history. Syria is strategic to Russia but is of little importance to the US. It makes sense from a strategic reason not to be bogged down in this conflict and it makes sense to drain the Washington swamp by eliminating their funding sources. And maybe, it also makes sense to permanently shutdown some areas of government that should be privatized, which further helps reduce funding flowing to the swamp.
Varnel Watson
Let me see if I get this right. Trump had a Republican-controlled Congress for two years . . . and he waited until the Democrats took it over to make his drama about funding for his wall?
Bob Wizenhut
There is no question that the President has chosen his timing for political benefit. He waiting until the Dems were taking over the House to take over the narrative. Now, instead of it being a Republican Congress that he is doing battle with it is a Democrat minority in the Senate the is preventing a vote. You can say many things about this President but you can’t say that he’s not effective in controlling the narrative. It would be foolish to believe that he won’t serve as President for 6 more years.
Varnel Watson
How is this different from those two sodomites who drove across state lines, past a few dozen bakeries, until they found a Christian bakery to make a drama about their “wedding” cake?
Bob Wizenhut
There are some strong similarities. The two sodomites were very clever in driving the narrative in the press and don’t think that if this shutdown lasts for months & months that it will somehow hurt the President taking a stand on border security. It is ironic, looking back now, how Republicans & Democrats alike fell into the trap of thinking that if the President actually did hold his ground it would be a disaster for him.
Varnel Watson
Trump is now doing what Obama would have done
Bob Wizenhut
Obama was uncomfortable receiving criticism so avoid things like long-term government shutdowns of non-essential departments.
Varnel Watson
makes no difference to me since the country is going in the same direction
Rico Hero
Re: The Ezekiel 28 war on Israel in light of Russia and Syria
If one accepts Literal Babylon of Revelation, the Antichrist will most likely come out of Iraq, not Syria( Seleucus Syrian division included Iraq, and Iran).
Iraq will be destroyed, not Damascus , Syria.
Varnel Watson
Truth is TRUMP is pulling us out of the prophecy
Varnel Watson
President Trump praised Tucker Carlson along with other conservative Fox News stars. “We have great people,” Trump said.
A few hours later Carlson tore into Trump’s decision to authorize the US airstrike that killed Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani. Newly revealed documents paint an incriminating picture, showing administration officials anxiously struggling to follow orders from Trump himself despite concerns that the order could go against the national security interests of the United States and warnings from the Pentagon that it could be illegal.
****
The emails are the portrait of a corrupt policy and an effort to conceal it — a tug of war between two sets of government officials, one side trying to protect American security and follow the law, another working to enforce direct orders of the President of the United States.|
****
National security officials were blunt as they described a range of retaliatory possibilities inside the US and abroad. The goal, one administration official familiar with the briefing said, was to make sure lawmakers were “cleared-eyed” about the possibilities for Iranian retaliation and that nothing was sugar coated.
The official told CNN that the administration wanted to make it clear it couldn’t rule out retaliation within the next few weeks — or even months — given how Iran historically has responded to what it views as acts of aggression against the regime. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/04/politics/trump-iran-intel-retaliation-concerns/index.html
Varnel Watson
America’s Last Call
Kenneth Hagin:
“I looked at the scroll again, and again I looked to see what I had read about. I saw the skyline of a large city. Looking closer, I saw the skyscrapers were burned-out hulls. Portions of the city lay in ruins. It was not written that just one city would be destroyed, burned, and in ruins, but that there would be many such cities.
“The scroll was written in the first person, and seemed as if Jesus Himself were speaking. I read, “America is receiving her last call. Some nations already have received their last call, and never will receive another.”
“Then, in larger print it said, “THE TIME OF THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND.” This statement was repeated four or five times. Jesus also said this was the last great revival. He went on to say, “All the gifts of the Spirit will be in operation in the Church in these last days, and the Church will do greater things than even the Early Church did. It will have greater power, signs, and wonders than were recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.””
https://thepointernews.com/world-war-iii-france-germany-ready-to-assists-us-if-iran-attacks/?fbclid=IwAR1dTG6bN71bchjYelHDtwDxuUBtmWxpyAhLUiDnm161RRtEpSTkEPYx0SQ
Varnel Watson
Hey Twitter
Does your violence policy still apply to this post?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593975732527112
You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence….. We will immediately and permanently suspend any account found to be posting violent threats.
Varnel Watson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX4fSM24mJA
Varnel Watson
Concerning war:
Whatever you’ve done to the least of these you’ve done to ME
– Jesus
I’m sorry I just cannot support it anymore on top of loving your enemies but when you know and SEE Christ IN ALL…..it’s a wrap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfPZ1Z5N_ow&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3O10ikCnfkCX83oVhcKt1_DRpTaBijs34gR5FUbbv5_G0VZcs3Y5FXW9Q
Varnel Watson
Jon Ruthven Lots of opinions… here is mine:
We are and will continue to retaliate against Iran…
Trump is preparing the way for the AntiMessiah… Iran and Russia (with others) will attack Israel in retaliation. There, in the mountains of Israel, God will destroy them…
See Ezekiel 38…